


The (Near) Impossible Beast

by Gothams_Only_Wolf



Series: That's Just Life [16]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Hawkeye (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AVALANCHE Hates HYDRA, AVALANCHE Meets The Avengers, Alternate Universe - Past Lives, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Torture, Multi, Turk Vincent Valentine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 05:28:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13851063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf
Summary: Vincent is in D.C. the day S.H.I.E.L.D. collapses under the weight of the beast it harbors.





	The (Near) Impossible Beast

**Author's Note:**

> *throws up hands* Apparently Vincent!Muse wants to help Captain America and Co. save the day and somehow I got roped into it! 
> 
> Enjoy?

* * *

Vincent's in the middle of translating German in D.C. when the news is flicked on and something is stirring up the harbor. 

Chaos roars beneath the surface, **That is not S.H.I.E.L.D., my Host, but the beast that lies beneath! We need to help.**

"Ms. Potts, I'm terribly sorry for omitting this in my application but I need to go help." Vincent says and then turns to the German corporation to say much the same in German, minus the application bit. He transforms into his battle mode, his cape snapping as he breaks the window with his left fist. 

Ms. Potts sighs and only says, "Mr. Valentine, I would like you to survive whatever it is you are doing and then we'll need to have a chat." 

"Of course, Ms. Potts."

* * *

He finds Aerith near an old factory, politely refusing to leave the premises. Vincent lands behind her and places his left hand on her shoulder to show his support. 

"Well, are you letting us in?" Aerith says as though butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, the familiar lilies in her basket causing Vincent to smile behind the collar. "If it helps any, the Captain does know who we are." 

The dark-haired woman frowns, closes the door and Vincent chuckles softly as she tells the Captain that two people outside want to speak with him. 

The Captain pokes his head out and then the Black Widow does the same. 

"You do remember us, yes?" Aerith asks as she lets the basket dangle from her fingertips. 

"Where are the rest?" Captain America finally asks. 

"In New York, though at least two of them can be called upon if necessary. Gunslinger and I are quite enough but if you want more help...?" She supplies easily. 

"We know that the beast within S.H.I.E.L.D. has decided to break it's cover and expose itself." Vincent adds, tapping his temple. "Chaos knows which is which, so perhaps we can stop it before it crawls its way to freedom entirely." 

"... Alright, come inside."

* * *

Aerith and Vincent snap out their hands simultaneously, several spells lined up behind the one they're about to dual-cast. 

The harbor splits open and reveals three Helicarriers, as the not-quite-dead Director has pointed out. 

" ** _STOP._** " The blue light envelops the Helicarrier's and leaves the inanimate object a perfect target for what follows. 

The chips are all placed even as the fighting on the Helicarriers gets fierce. 

The Falcon falls but is saved by the building before it breaks. 

"Vincent, go! That building is going to kill a lot of people if you don't catch it—" Aerith tells him, sweat trailing down her temple as he shifts his control of the Stop spell to her. 

Vincent shifts mid-jump to Chaos and flies as fast as he can to catch the top of the building, wings straining from the effort as he sets it down on the cleared streets. 

He starts clearing the building as fast as he can, pulling people out of it and setting them down before going back for more. The badly burnt man he leaves for the paramedics with the warning, "He needs to be watched by the police."

* * *

Vincent finds the Captain, half-waterlogged as he is, on the beach with bootprints near him. He touches the print and memorizes the scent and the feel of him in the LifeStream; Vincent slings the Captain into a gentle hold and starts walking him to the nearest hospital. 

"...ugh... Who...?" 

"Gunslinger, Captain, though I am taking you to a hospital." He admits even as the Captain clings to conciousness with a stubborn pride to match Cloud's on his best days. "I will need to fill out your paperwork." 

"Name's... Steve... Steve Rogers. Born July 4, 1918.... Not allergic to anything, not anymore. You?" Steve supplies in fits and starts. 

"I suppose with HYDRA mostly gone that I can share my own name. Vincent Valentine." Vincent agrees. "I work for Ms. Potts at Stark Industries. I'm sure you've heard me in passing at the very least." 

"... Oh. Thought you... sounded... familiar." Steve goes under again and Vincent listens for water as the man breathes. 

Nothing too concerning though Vincent does pick up his pace.

* * *

He keeps a watch over the room, his stare more than enough to keep out anyone who isn't authorized. 

Aerith drops by, peeks into the room and hums. "He's healing quite nicely, though it'll take him a few days to wake up." 

"Hn." Vincent hums in reply, lifting an arm when she snuggles close. "And you? Are you well, Cetra?" 

"I'm a little tired and it's been a long time since I tag-teamed a spell. I didn't realize you had a reserve just for your Limit Breaks through." She confesses. 

"... That's not my magic but his. All of them are made from him and thus he has his own reserve that matches mine through the Materia." Vincent murmurs as Falcon shows up with bandages of his own. 

"Is he in here?" Falcon asks before his expression turns thoughtful. "Thank you, by the way, for finding him." 

"You're welcome." 

"Name's Sam, Sam Wilson." Vincent shakes his hand and smiles slightly. 

"Vincent Valentine," he replies as he pulls away to let Aerith do her thing. 

"Aerith Gainsborough." She shakes his hand and then says brightly, "He's resting but he'll be alright." 

"How...?" 

"That's an AVALANCHE secret. I'll tell you someday but not today." She tells Sam and then giggles after the door closes. 

"What is that all about?" He prods even as she giggles some more. 

"Ehehe-They're reincarnated souls-ehehe!-and they're not sure why they're drawn to each other. It's cute!" Aerith finally manages to say. 

"Who is...?" 

"Generals Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos. The third is General Sephiroth, minus JENOVA's influence but he fell under HYDRA instead. Hopefully this time around it'll be easier on them and us." She sighs, "I hope it works out." 

"Ah." 

"The reason I'm giggling is because they all used to be friends and then they dated before everything got out of hand." She tacks on after Vincent's confusion lingers in his expression. 

Well then; that would explain a great deal.

* * *

Afterwards, when the personnel are lined up to be sorted, Aerith and Vincent cast a Libra to look for the difference. Anyone Vincent taps is a HYDRA Agent, any Aerith taps are S.H.I.E.L.D. and if both of them tap one, well, they're just self-serving or playing both sides to survive. 

Vincent taps far too many to find comfort in the fact that Aerith finds enough to even the odds and there are three who both tap; two are self-serving, one is just trying to survive the end of the day. 

"Those Gunslinger tapped are HYDRA, through and through. The ones I tapped aside from the three Gunslinger also tapped are free to go." Aerith says cheerfully. "Except you, you can go." She waves along the one who is only surviving and they leave with a grateful look. 

The rest try to either run or attack and meet the Barrier that Nanaki is casting from above. Nanaki jumps down and lands gracefully beside Vincent and rumbles out, "Cowardice is not rewarded, only judged for the act that it is. The beast has been exposed, it's limbs wriggling as the body dies." 

"You're the beast, you-" 

"Long has HYDRA hidden beneath worthy steel, has it not? Words and laws have been your actions, removing true leaders through bloody means and cold logic. The beast's empire grew thick, expanded through death and pressured negotiations." Nanaki states coldly over what is supposed to be an insult. 

"I may be a beast in truth but I know a monster when I see one. You are not the first to use such tactics, nor the last. Your actions endangers people and and the very Planet we live on; thus it is AVALANCHE who judges you instead of your government." 

"None before us—" 

"I suppose the name ShinRa means nothing?" Vincent asks casually, not even looking up from examining his gauntlet in the harsh lighting of the room. 

"Of course not!" 

"That is because we destroyed it, rooted it out of every place it had ever been—piece by piece—and then _removed it from history_." He replies with a smile that he perfected years ago as a Turk. "We have a long memory, does AVALANCHE, and we do not forgive nor forget those who would subjugate others for profit or pride."

* * *

The former Director sits down for tea and Vincent joins him as a civilian, flicking up a Libra, a Silence V and a Barrier just to be safe. "Care to tell me about ShinRa?" 

"It's in a book," Vincent replies, handing over a paperback copy of _The History of Gaia_. "but to tell you the truth, ShinRa was... reformed, under the guidance of the grandson of the original ShinRa. He knew the past and sought to make the present better. HYDRA is not such an organization as it is a group of zealots who cannot be reasoned with, Director. ShinRa's founder and his son deserved the full wrath of AVALANCHE, in all three of its iterations, and so does HYDRA." 

"That is the most you've ever spoken to me." 

"As we are men of action and not words, I could've just given you the book and left." Vincent counters with a snort. "You like your information from the source, however, and that was the least painful way of doing so." 

"You act like a S.H.I.EL.D. -trained agent, Gunslinger." The Director says but it's a question rather than the flat statement it appears. 

Vincent only smiles behind the rim of his tea cup and disperses the spells with a single flick of his fingers. "Read the book. You'll find it... informative." 

He leaves as the Director cracks open the book.

* * *

Vincent enjoys the weight of his lovers in his lap as he recovers in his apartment. Yuffie's moved out along with Nanaki, leaving space for Tifa and Cloud to live with him. "I... have a meeting with Ms. Potts today." 

"Oh yeah, that." Cloud sighs even as he presses a kiss to Vincent's temple. 

"Good luck and if you're out of a job, we'll help you look for a new one." Tifa says and Vincent purrs as she follows her declaration with a kiss on his other side.

* * *

Ms. Potts stares him down, as though waiting for him to crack first but Vincent is old and patience a hard-earned thing. 

"Well, at least I know you're firm under pressure." she says after several minutes. 

"Are you going to fire me?" He asks bluntly. 

Vincent may be patient but bad news never does sit right if it's given out in parcels. 

"... I don't think so, Mr. Valentine; not when you're one of the more productive members of my team. Will you be expecting to burst into your cape anytime soon?" Ms. Potts disagrees with a shake of her head. 

"Only when I need to, Ms. Potts, and only when I am called. I will let you know if it happens again." He replies. 

"Ah. Well, that's it, I suppose. Speak to Mr. Stark should your team need assistance." 

"I will, Ms. Potts." 

He doesn't ask but finds Mr. Stark sitting on his desk three days later. "Are you really him?" 

"Should I know about whom you speak, Mr. Stark?" Vincent says, just to be a little cheeky. He's picked up on one too many of Yuffie's habits in his years living with her. 

"... So you're not-" Vincent holds up a hand, flicks up his three spells and waves at Mr. Stark to continue. "Okay?" 

"Now no one can hear the conversation, Mr. Stark." Vincent replies even as he closes his office door and locks it. "I am, in fact, him. No, I will not repeat what I did in front of Ms. Potts. Yes, we can go to your workshop after my day has ended and yes, you may take a scan of my gauntlet." 

"Are you a mind-reader too?" 

"Certainly not; those are the questions I anticipated you asking should you ever find out." Vincent answers. 

"Y'know, Fury did say you acted a lot like a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent but like, Level Six or something." 

"Think more a retired CIA agent and you'll be slightly closer," he countered even as he disperses the spells to sip at his tea. "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?" 

"I, uh, yeah."

* * *

Vincent finds himself going up in the elevator instead of down to the parking garage. He gets let out on what appears to be the common level of the team, seeing as how two people look up when he enters. 

One is mostly unfamiliar but the other is Dr. Banner. 

"Dr. Banner." He greets before Mr. Stark sweeps into the room. 

"You like tea, right?" 

"... Yes." 

"Good, good, Bruce just made some. Feel free to do whatever, I gotta go set up my stuff." 

Vincent merely raises a brow as Mr. Stark leaves again. 

"Do... we know each other?" 

"Gunslinger," He supplies, taking off the fake frames and pulling out his hairstick. "of AVALANCHE." A swish of fabric is all it takes before he's in battle mode. "Would you mind sharing your Silver Needle?" 

"Let me get another mug then." Dr. Banner snags a second cup and hands one off to Vincent. "How did Tony..." 

"Find out? I'm afraid I helped in that mess in D.C. but in doing so, exposed my non-civilian self to Ms. Potts." Vincent admits with a shrug. "Mr. Stark is nothing if not persistent." 

"He's testing you?" Dr. Banner turns a little green. 

"At least I'm concious and can say no." Vincent counters, taking a sip of his tea and catching Dr. Banner's cup as it slips with his gauntlet to set it back on the counter. "Please do not ask as it is not a pleasant conversation. Rest assured, I will use my voice at all times." 

"If I'm being nosy, tell me." Mr. Stark wanders back in, lugging three pieces of equipment and what looks like a barcode scanner. "Arm first?" 

Vincent holds out his left arm, flexes his fingers and the gauntlet and then settles it back under the cloak after Mr. Stark scans it. His gauntlet pops up in holographic blue, much to his surprise and Mr. Stark sets about taking apart the diagram. "Is... there something wrong?" 

"No, uh, just that this should be impossible. All of your bones in that arm are, um, gone. You've got a metal skeleton in there." Mr. Stark looks a little pale or at least paler than usual. 

"Hmph. Long-dead and still ruining my day." 

"Is that the one engineer you mentioned at the museum?" 

"... He would be it, yes. That is the work of one Professor Barnaby Hojo. Hojo's specialty was experimentation and augmentation." Vincent states flatly. "You'll find only two of his works in this day and age; myself and SOLDIER." 

"I'm not even gonna ask 'cause I'm pretty sure I'll hurl." Mr. Stark says before Vincent can warn him. 

"A wise choice, Mr. Stark, especially when it comes to AVALANCHE. Could you fix it?" he asks hopefully. 

"I... I don't have enough bio for this; like, this is beyond me. Umm, how are you with, umm, lady doctors?" 

"Better than if it were a male doctor," Vincent replies cautiously, "though likely not by much." 

"How about a tiny Chinese doctor?" Mr. Stark suggests and well, Vincent doesn't know. "Do you want to meet her? She's on the Avenger's Infirmary Floor right now." 

"The Infirmary." 

"It's like the most not-hospital to ever not-hospital." The unfamiliar one breaks in. "It helps." 

"Thank you... Hawkeye?" He digs through the names and puts a face to it. 

"Nice, you know who I am!" Hawkeye crows. 

"I don't suppose you have a shooting range I could visit after the Infirmary visit?" Vincent requests. 

"Oh hell yeah! We can test out my new ballistic arrows and I get to see you shoot up close!" Hawkeye's excitement helps dull the anxiety of the Infirmary. "Aww, coffee no."

* * *

"Another injury? You three—Oh. Who's this?" The doctor is indeed a small-statured woman but it's her manner that relaxes Vincent most of all. 

"Gunslinger of AVALANCHE, that team we occassionally work with? Can you scan his arm with your equipment?" Mr. Stark asks sweetly. "Please, Dr. Cho?" 

"You saying please makes me suspicious already. Which arm, Mr. Gunslinger?" 

"Valentine, please and the... left, if you wouldn't mind." He carefully rolls up his sleeve and she inhales sharply at the sight of the patchwork scarring holding the brass in place. 

"Preliminary scan?" Mr. Stark hands over the scanner and Dr. Cho's eyes widen even further at the sight. "Oh. Oh dear. That is, mm, quite the predicament you're in, Mr. Valentine. Any idea what it looks like inside?" 

"More of the same scarring, ma'am. I... tend to heal quickly." 

"Okay, define your 'quickly' for me—" He reaches for his other arm when she catches his gauntlet. "without injury, please." 

"Less than ten seconds," Vincent murmurs as he pulls his hand out of hers gently. "and more than likely it's four." 

"So... Faster than Steve but slower than Thor. I'm guessing that doesn't come off?" 

"No it does not." He flexes it out of sight. 

"Any rules I need to know about before tackling this particular job?" 

"No samples of any kind unless I'm in the room with it, none of it leaves this room and the second you are done, I burn it. Before you ask, it is not paranoia but experience that lead to those rules." Vincent responds, "If you want to do surgery, I either want to be awake and aware as possible or have another member of AVALANCHE with me." 

"Surgery is a last resort, hopefully, and only if you authorize it." 

"... Thank you for even attempting this." He says quietly. 

"A near impossible task you've set for me but you're polite if somewhat blunt, Mr. Valentine, and I like that in a person." Dr. Cho hums. "Okay, scanning now."

* * *

**Avenger's Shooting Range-**

The shooting range is massive, to say the least and Hawkeye is there with a bow and arrows already. 

Vincent unholsters Cerberus, pulls out two of his Quicksilvers and then digs in his inventory for Death Penalty, setting the last down gently as possible. 

"Umm, _what is that_?" Hawkeye points at Death Penalty even as he hugs his arrows to his chest. 

"That is Death Penalty. Aptly named, is it not?" He chuckles softly. "I figured the room might be able to handle her shots when you mentioned ballistic arrows." 

"... Might be... Do they explode??" 

"Mm-hmm." 

"Sweet. What about the little ones?" 

"Quicksilvers. Standard 9 mm rounds, fire faster than most weapons and break down for easy, concealed storage." 

"Umm, don't take this the wrong way but can I please shoot one?" 

"You may... I'm afraid I didn't catch your civilian ID." 

"Clint, Clint Barton and you?" Clint was much better than Hawkeye when talking marksman to marksman. 

"Vincent Valentine." They shake hands and Vincent hands over a Quicksilver. "Care for a little competition?" 

"Shooting? Oh hell yeah. What happens if one of us wins?" 

"Buy dinner for the other team?" 

"... Sounds fair enough. What about a draw?" 

"Half and half for the teams and all of us have dinner together?" Vincent murmurs. 

It's been a minute where they can be themselves and the Avengers Tower might be safe enough. 

""Would you like for me to arrange that, Mr. Valentine?"" J.A.R.V.I.S. asks and Vincent's left eye twitches but he doesn't jump. He's had years of Cait Sith and Yuffie to thank for that. 

"No, I'll arrange. Would you mind judging the contest?" Vincent asks, knowing the AI can catch any slight differences. 

""Certainly.""

* * *

It's a draw, much to Vincent's delight, even after they switch to their prefered weapons. 

"Why aren't you mad?" Clint asks as they clean up spent shells and empty arrow shafts. 

"Why would I be? I've finally found an equal shot after millennia of being the best." Vincent replies with a chuckle. "I've spent years trying to find someone like you and only a few came close." 

"So, uh, don't take offense but if I got someone else in who shares my other name...?" Clint hesitantly suggests. 

"She does archery as well?" Vincent hums as he brings out cleaning materials for the guns and settles on the floor to do just that. 

"Well yeah, but I think Katie's better." Clint murmurs as he cleans the Quicksilver he used to shoot. 

"I would be honored," Vincent says, "as I enjoy a good marksperson." 

"... Y'know, Tony said that you respect women in the office and on the battlefield. Can I... ask or is that taboo?" Clint spins a q-tip absently even as he finishes the Quicksilver. 

"I suppose you can thank my parents, then, past and present. Both sets encouraged me to look beyond what everyone else was doing and I took that to mean social relationships as well." He answers that readily enough. 

"Wait, wait, you know Katie?" Clint seems to catch on and this time Vincent smiles behind his collar. 

"Mm, we met briefly after a battle AVALANCHE joined." He offers. "Dark hair, bandage across her nose?" 

Clint laughs at that and says, "Yeah that's Katie alright. That Quicksilver fires like a dream." 

"Keep it." Vincent has too many crowding his inventory as it is and he likes Clint. 

"Wait, seriously?" 

"Just don't let anyone else get ahold of it." 

"Can do," Clint gives a half-assed salute that Vincent teasingly returns. "Hey, uh, since today is all new shit, can I fire that?" 

"If you can lift her." Vincent says, knowing that Death Penalty weighs quite a bit. 

"Hrrrgh! What the... How heavy is this??" Clint tries until Vincent picks it up again with one hand. 

"She weighs about a half-a-ton. I'm not surprised." 

"... Holy shit." 

"I'm also revising my assessment of the range as I don't want to cause structural damage to the Tower." Vincent murmurs as he tucks away all of his weaponry. 

"Yeahhh, that's probably a good idea." Clint agrees.

* * *

The remainder of AVALANCHE joins the Avengers for a dinner spread that looks more like a feast. 

Cloud and Vincent take quite a bit, nearly as much as Steve and Thor. 

Mr. Stark raises a brow when Nanaki takes a plate with Yuffie's help. "That one smells nice, could you grab that one?" 

"How do I...?" Clint makes a gesture when Nanaki is done polishing off three plates on his own. 

"Red or Nanaki and talk to me like you would the rest of AVALANCHE," Nanaki says as he hops up onto the couch and sits next to Mr. Stark. "Also, that measurement won't work if you're hoping to get it sustainable by itself." 

"You like science?" Two heads whip around to look Nanaki in the eyes. 

"Where I'm from, Cosmo Canyon, we had a thriving solar-powered society. Science was key to making it work though I did most of my work on the outer edges..." Nanaki enthusases easily, careful to keep his flaming tail out of the way of human hands. 

Cid and Barret both join, arguing the merits of a sustainable society versus what is currently in place. 

The Widow is easily folded into AVALANCHE, especially when Aerith giggles at a horrendously inappropriate joke. Tifa and Cloud take their usual places without much fanfare. 

The Avengers notice about halfway through the evening, especially when Vincent takes an offered bite from both of his loves. 

It's Thor who asks, in the end, "You are together?" 

"Have been for a while," Cloud responds as he looks up from where he's pillowed his head on Vincent's left shoulder. "but thanks for noticing, I guess." 

"It's mutual on all three sides, we invited Vincent and it takes a _lot_ of communication." Tifa cuts off the questions with her pre-emptive remark and AVALANCHE shrugs before turning back to the conversation. "AVALANCHE has had years of dealing with us as a unit and by ourselves. This is nothing new to them." 

It's Steve who notices the Mark on Tifa's left side, peeking out as it is from her tank top. "Ah, what's that?" 

"That," Vincent murmurs, "is what kept us together. Cloud and I have a much longer lifespan that Tifa's. The Mark extends her lifespan to match ours." 

"How?" The grief in Steve's voice makes Vincent sympathize. 

"We asked the Planet to provide a solution and this is what she gave us." Tifa replies. "It was not a light decision to make and it hurt like nothing else I've ever known." 

"You keep talking like... like the dirt beneath our feet is alive." Dr. Banner says with confusion. 

"That's because she is; the LifeStream is a consciousness all of its own and it runs in everyone as an unseen current. She's a little harder to hear these days but she knows every living being in this room right now." Aerith explains gently.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


End file.
